1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method of displaying an image, and a storage medium, and more particularly to a preview function of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of image forming apparatuses, such as a multi-function peripheral and a printer, have preview functions for the purpose of reducing print errors. The preview functions include, for example, a function capable of displaying characters and graphics included in an image to be printed, in the same sizes as when they are printed on a sheet. Hereinafter, such a preview function is referred to as the “real size preview function”, and displaying an image using the real size preview function is referred to as “real size preview display”.
In the real size preview function, there has been proposed a method which automatically determines a character having the smallest size in a print image, and sets an area including the character as a real size preview area (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-272049). According to this technique, since the smallest character included in the print image can be checked by the real size preview display, it is possible to prevent a print error in which small characters are printed in a crushed manner and are illegible.
In the above-described conventional technique, however, the real size preview display is performed as to the area including the smallest character in the print image, but it is impossible for a user to select an area desired to check. This prevents the user from having a real size preview of areas except the area including the smallest character.
In short, the preview function of the conventional image forming apparatus cannot enable the user to select a desired area of a print image, and hence cannot provide a real size preview of the desired area selected by the user.